When to signal, or not to...

[Rich]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I've always thought this made NO sense. You mean you're going to tell me a plate umpire should run across the diamond to cover the B-R going to second when the ball is overthrown to first??? No way! That's the base umpire's call all the way. The plate umpire's responsibility is the overthrow and it possibly going out of play. He drifts to his right toward the out of play area to see whether the ball goes through or over a fence or other border. What's the base ump to do if the PU went to second? Is the BU then going to cover the out of play: "Oh, excuse me, Mr. Batter-runner, while I cut across your running path to follow the ball out of play."

There is absolutely no way no how I'd ever consider covering second as the PU here. It just makes no sense whatsoever.

It makes more sense to say something like, "Excuse me Mr. Batter-Runner, I'm going to try to cut in front of you [as the BU] in order to take you to second base. But you'll react quickly to the bad throw and I'll have to wait for you and trail you. I may get there and set for a play at second."

It makes sense to me. It doesn't make sense to you. So what?